We are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and our faith is an important part of how we live, parent, and serve others. We attend church each week, and as our kids get older, youth group and service have become meaningful parts of their lives. At the same time, some of the people we love most—our friends and even members of our extended family—don’t share our beliefs, and that’s completely okay. We believe people can love and respect one another deeply even when they believe different things.

We believe that taking care of our kids means taking care of their whole selves. We place a big emphasis on mental health, just as we do physical health, and our children have access to therapy when they need it. When conflict happens—and it absolutely does—we don’t sweep it under the rug. We talk about it, listen to one another, take responsibility, and try to do better. Steph’s experience as a therapist has certainly helped shape the way we approach these conversations.

Our parenting style is built around encouragement, positive reinforcement, and reasonable consequences. Sometimes that means losing a privilege, and sometimes it means taking a breath and doing a “do-over.” We want our kids to understand that making a mistake doesn’t make them a bad person, and that there can be opportunities to learn, repair, and try again. We also want them to grow into people who are responsible, honest, and accountable—who keep their word, own their mistakes, treat others with kindness, and understand that their choices matter.